This invention relates to stabilized active materials. Particularly, the invention relates to the stabilization of insect pheromones.
Methods of eliminating unwanted pests from orchards, crops and forests frequently entail the use of organophosphate insecticides. Alternative methods involve insect mating disruption, where insect pheromones are used to control pests in any desired location, including protecting agricultural crops and forestry. In insect mating disruption methods, the mating pheromone plume of a female insect is typically masked with other pheromone point sources. This reduces the likelihood of a male insect finding a female, and subsequently disrupts and reduces larvae production. The insect population of the next generation is thus decreased, as well as potential crop damage.
Stabilization methods for insect pest pheromones are known, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,969 (Sakurada et al). Sakurada et al describe admixing the sex pheromone compound with a specified amount of (a) a specific phenolic compound, e.g. tert-butyl hydroquinone, di-tert-butyl hydroquinone, di-tert-amyl hydroquinone, di-tert-buytl p-cresol, methyl hydroquinone and p-methoxy phenol, as an antioxidant and (b) 2-(2xe2x80x2-hydroxy-3xe2x80x2-tert-butyl-5xe2x80x2-methyl phenyl)-5-chlorobenzotriazole in combination.
The need still exists to stabilize an insect pheromone to ensure efficacy over the typical mating season of the insect pests.
This invention relates to a method of stabilizing an insect pheromone composition using 2,2xe2x80x2-Methylenebis(6-t-butyl-p-cresol), CAS No. 119-47-1. The present invention also relates to an insect pheromone composition comprising a pheromone and 2,2xe2x80x2-Methylenebis(6-t-butyl-p-cresol).
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a composition further comprising a benzotriazole, and in preferred cases, 2-(2xe2x80x2-hydroxy-3xe2x80x2,5xe2x80x2-di-tert-amyl-phenyl) benzotriazole.
Yet, another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of protecting a crop against insect pests by applying a microcapsule comprising an insect pheromone, and 2,2xe2x80x2-Methylenebis(6-t-butyl-p-cresol).